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Fire prescriptions for maintenance and restoration of native plant communities

Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources • Oklahoma State University
NREM-2878
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Fact Sheets
are also available on our website at:
http://osufacts.okstate.edu
Introduction
Four conditions are necessary for fire to assume ecologi­cal importance: (1) an accumulation of organic matter, i.e. fuel either herbaceous or woody, sufficient enough to burn; (2) dry weather conditions to render the material combustible; (3) a landscape conducive to the spread of fire; and (4) a source of ignition. The only two important sources of ignition are humans and lightning. Historically, Native Americans had a much greater role in establishing fire on the landscape than did lightning.
The purpose of using prescribed fire (of which we have control) is to reestablish one of the three key ecosystem driv­ers on the landscape. The other two drivers are herbivory (of which we have control) and climate (of which we have no control). One goal of all management plans should be to restore ecosystem process such as photosynthesis and
decomposition. These processes facilitate energy flow, nutrient cycling, water cycling, etc. Research has shown that there is no substitute for fire in restoring ecosystems.
A fire prescription is a set of conditions under which a fire will be set to meet land management objectives. It is based on scientific research and experience. The purpose of this fact sheet is to provide recommendations for developing fire prescriptions. Specific recommendations must be customized for the particular piece of land in question. There are many possible fire prescriptions and vegetation responses.
Many factors affect vegetation response (i.e. habitat) after a prescribed fire or wildfire. These include weather, stage of plant succession, fuel load, topography, soil type, and previous management. In order to select a starting point for fire pre­scription development, select the dominant native vegetation type on the land in question (e.g. tallgrass prairie, oak-pine forest, etc.). There are 15 major native vegetation types in Oklahoma, based on the Duck and Fletcher survey map of 1943. This and other useful information are included in the Field Guide to Oklahoma Plants available from Oklahoma State University’s Rangeland Ecology and Management Program at 405.744.6421. Another essential reference for establishing vegetation management goals is an Ecological Site Guide available from Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) offices located throughout Oklahoma. An ecological site guide lists the plants and approximate propor­tions plus other important information relevant to the site.
Fire Prescriptions
The most frequently asked question is “Under what condi­tions should I burn?” First, determine your management goals and objectives. Then develop a fire prescription based on the unit of land in question. The following range of prescription variables have been used successfully in Oklahoma and surrounding states for different objectives (Table 1). These prescriptions may require specialized personnel, tactics, training, equipment, and firebreaks. Execution of some fire prescriptions requires specialized training and is inherently more risky than “normal” prescriptions (Table 2). We suggest consultation with a fire management specialist to develop a customized fire prescription that will meet your objectives.
General Guidelines
Rule 1. For those in the process of learning to burn or with limited experience, use the 60:40 Rule. The 60:40 rule states that you burn with an air temperature of less than
Terrence G. Bidwell
Professor and Extension Specialist
Rangeland Ecology and Management
John R. Weir
Research Station Superintendent
Rangeland Ecology and Management
Ronald E. Masters
Director of Research
Tall Timbers Research Station
Tallahassee, Florida
J.D. Carlson
Assistant Researcher
Biosystems and Agriculture Engineering
David M. Engle
Professor, Natural Resource Ecology and Management and
Director, DASNR Water Research and Extension Center
(continued on page 4.)
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
Fire Prescriptions
for Maintenance and Restoration
of Native Plant Communities
We are always striving to better serve our stakehold­ers’ needs. Please provide us feedback about this NREM document by completing a brief survey on the website: http://www.dasnr.okstate.edu/nremsurveys/ned. It should only require a couple of minutes of your time, and no identifying information will be asked of you. Your comments will be used to provide a higher quality of service in the future. Thank you.

Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources • Oklahoma State University
NREM-2878
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Fact Sheets
are also available on our website at:
http://osufacts.okstate.edu
Introduction
Four conditions are necessary for fire to assume ecologi­cal importance: (1) an accumulation of organic matter, i.e. fuel either herbaceous or woody, sufficient enough to burn; (2) dry weather conditions to render the material combustible; (3) a landscape conducive to the spread of fire; and (4) a source of ignition. The only two important sources of ignition are humans and lightning. Historically, Native Americans had a much greater role in establishing fire on the landscape than did lightning.
The purpose of using prescribed fire (of which we have control) is to reestablish one of the three key ecosystem driv­ers on the landscape. The other two drivers are herbivory (of which we have control) and climate (of which we have no control). One goal of all management plans should be to restore ecosystem process such as photosynthesis and
decomposition. These processes facilitate energy flow, nutrient cycling, water cycling, etc. Research has shown that there is no substitute for fire in restoring ecosystems.
A fire prescription is a set of conditions under which a fire will be set to meet land management objectives. It is based on scientific research and experience. The purpose of this fact sheet is to provide recommendations for developing fire prescriptions. Specific recommendations must be customized for the particular piece of land in question. There are many possible fire prescriptions and vegetation responses.
Many factors affect vegetation response (i.e. habitat) after a prescribed fire or wildfire. These include weather, stage of plant succession, fuel load, topography, soil type, and previous management. In order to select a starting point for fire pre­scription development, select the dominant native vegetation type on the land in question (e.g. tallgrass prairie, oak-pine forest, etc.). There are 15 major native vegetation types in Oklahoma, based on the Duck and Fletcher survey map of 1943. This and other useful information are included in the Field Guide to Oklahoma Plants available from Oklahoma State University’s Rangeland Ecology and Management Program at 405.744.6421. Another essential reference for establishing vegetation management goals is an Ecological Site Guide available from Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) offices located throughout Oklahoma. An ecological site guide lists the plants and approximate propor­tions plus other important information relevant to the site.
Fire Prescriptions
The most frequently asked question is “Under what condi­tions should I burn?” First, determine your management goals and objectives. Then develop a fire prescription based on the unit of land in question. The following range of prescription variables have been used successfully in Oklahoma and surrounding states for different objectives (Table 1). These prescriptions may require specialized personnel, tactics, training, equipment, and firebreaks. Execution of some fire prescriptions requires specialized training and is inherently more risky than “normal” prescriptions (Table 2). We suggest consultation with a fire management specialist to develop a customized fire prescription that will meet your objectives.
General Guidelines
Rule 1. For those in the process of learning to burn or with limited experience, use the 60:40 Rule. The 60:40 rule states that you burn with an air temperature of less than
Terrence G. Bidwell
Professor and Extension Specialist
Rangeland Ecology and Management
John R. Weir
Research Station Superintendent
Rangeland Ecology and Management
Ronald E. Masters
Director of Research
Tall Timbers Research Station
Tallahassee, Florida
J.D. Carlson
Assistant Researcher
Biosystems and Agriculture Engineering
David M. Engle
Professor, Natural Resource Ecology and Management and
Director, DASNR Water Research and Extension Center
(continued on page 4.)
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
Fire Prescriptions
for Maintenance and Restoration
of Native Plant Communities
We are always striving to better serve our stakehold­ers’ needs. Please provide us feedback about this NREM document by completing a brief survey on the website: http://www.dasnr.okstate.edu/nremsurveys/ned. It should only require a couple of minutes of your time, and no identifying information will be asked of you. Your comments will be used to provide a higher quality of service in the future. Thank you.